Underground emplacement of tubular and filamentary utility structures is ordinarily accomplished by construction techniques such as open-cut trenching, Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), microtunneling, and percussive moles. Open-cut trenching, HDD, and microtunneling all involve removal of material from the surrounding soil matrix.
The absence of spoils, drilling fluids, and minimal mechanical disturbance of surface soil make compaction boring technically and environmentally desirable. Compaction boring may be a preferable option for underground construction in environmentally sensitive areas.